Frameless building



April 6, 1937.

W. H. STULEN .FRAMELESS BUILDING Filed March 30, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet lINVEIJTOR.

WITNESSES ATTCRNEW'.

April 1937- w. H. STULEN 2,075,874

FRAMELESS BUILDING Filed March 30, 1935 s Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.WIT/VfJSE-S M M ,MH

ATTORNEYV.

form substantially any structure such as bridge members and floors,supporting forms for concrete, caissons and the like.

Referring now to the drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of myinvention, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a unit constructed in accordancewith the principles of the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of theunit shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view throughthe unit taken on line IIIIII of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a plan view of ahorizontal and two vertical panels joined together at their edges toform a frameless building structure mostly broken away, with the panelsbeing made up of the individual units shown in Figs. 5 1 to 3; Fig. 5 isa vertical cross-sectional view taken on line V--V of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 isa i'lbrizontal sectional view through a, round column fabricated fromthe individual units shown in Figs.

1 to 3; Fig. 7 is a horizontal cross-sectional view through a squarecolumn fabricated from the units shown in Figs. 1 to 3; and Fig. 8 is aplan view of a piece of sheet metal illustrating the manner in which theindividual sheet metal strips are cut therefrom without waste.

The embodiment of the building unit of my invention, illustrated indetail in Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, comprises three load-carryingmembers I0, ,I I and H, which are preferably angle-irons as shown butwhich may be any other rolled metal sections, such as channels orT-bars. The selection of the particular section of the members I0, I Iand I2 depends largely on the use to which the member is put, i. e., forfloors, walls, ceilings, etc. The members III, II and I2 are secured tothe center and edge portions of a strip of sheet metal indicatedgenerally by the numeral l3. The sheet metal strip l3 has a flat centralportion I4 which is preferably spot-welded to the angle-iron In atlongitudinally-spaced points l5 so that the anglethe inventioncontemplates welding the angle-iron II) in the dotted-line positionshown as well as to increase the thickness of the unit formed. The sideportions of the sheet metal .strip II are bent 4 5 l4 and may comprisetriangularly-shaped tab portions I! which have their ends l3 bentparallel to the flat central portion ll of the sheet metal strip andspot-welded as at I9 to the angle-irons II and I2. The angle-irons IIand I2 can be welded in the dotted-line position instead of thefull-line position if it is advisable to increase the thickness of theunit.

The strength of the unit produced is largely dependent upon its depth orthickness which is the distance between angle-iron l0 and the plane ofangle-irons II and II. This distance can be altered in units providedfor different purposes by changing the angle the tab portions ll makewith the central portion ll of the metal strip. To increase the distanceincreases strength. Ordinarily the tab portions are bent at an angle ofabout 45. The strength of the units can also be increased by making thesheet metal heavier and broadly the invention contemplates using metalplate of any requisite thickness to provide the desired strengthtogether with members In, H and I2 of increased strength. Also underother conditions where the units are used for partitions or for likepurposes where little strength is required the sheet metal can be quitethin and the members III, II and I2 can be flat-rolled sections ifdesired.

The members III, II and I2 preferably are formed with longitudinallyspaced apertures M by iron is in the full-line position shown. However,

at equal but opposite angles to the central portion a punching or otheroperation to facilitate fastening veneering or facing materials to theformed units as hereafter explained.

The individual units, as just described, are adapted to be incorporatedinto panels and this is accomplished by the provision of sheet metalchannels 25 which receive the ends of a plurality of units placed in aside-by-side relation. Channels 26 likewise preferably bound the sidesof the end units with the channels 25 and 26 being welded together attheir ends and with the individual units being welded to the channels attheir.

It should be noted here points of engagement. that the units can be madein half widths, as hereinafter more fully explained, and that thesehalf-width units are preferably used at the extreme sides of the unitsplaced. side-by-side to form a panel as a seen in Fig. 4.

To further strengthen the panel structure and to positively tie theindividual units together and form a truss-like structure, metalsections 30, extending transversely of the units at spaced intervals, asbest seen in Figs. 4 and 5, are provided and are welded to the tops ofthe individual units at their points of contact. Metal sections 3|likewise are employed which secure together the bottom of the unitsforming the panel. The metal sections 3| are, of course, welded to theindividual units and to the channels at their points of contact. Toimprove the truss structure the metal sections 30 and 3| are positionedsubstantially midway between each other with the bottom metal sections3| being secured to the longitudinal angles H and I2 at substatiallythesame points that the edge portions I8 of the triangular tabs I! aresecured. Thus the upper metal sections 30 are joined to the base I ofthe sheet metal strip I3 at the narrow portion connecting the triangulartabs of the sheet metal strip.

The metal sections 30 and 3| are preferably in the form of angle-ironsections when employed on the top of floors or wherever they must resistcompression and are preferably flat-rolled sections when used on theunder side of. floors or wherever they resist only tension or lightloads. Broadly, however, they may comprise any metal section such aschannels, T-bars etc., best adapted to provide the requisite strength orto receive covering or veneering surfaces.

While in the preferred form of the invention the metal sections 30 and3| extend transversely of the panels they may also be secured diagonallyor criss-cross of the panels to further improve the truss structure orto facilitate the application of. covering or veneering materials tothe' ings or roofs or the like and, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5, one panel,indicated as a whole by the numeral 40, is employed as a floor, andother panels, identified by the numerals 4| and 42, are used as wallswith the panels being supported on a suitable foundation 35. The edgesof. the panels, where they come together at the base of the wall and atthe edge of the floor, are welded together as at 36 during building andon location. It should be understood that the particular structure shownin Figs. 4 and 5 is merely a fragment of the frameless structure andthat several more floors, various walls, and so forth, can beincorporated in the structure without necessitating other supportingmeans than the foundation 35 all which may be of any known type. Thevarious points of joinder between the individual panels are positivelywelded together in the field to provide a very strong rigid structure ofthe frameless type. The interior and exterior walls or partitions can beof load-bearing or non-load-bearing type with the latter being madelighter in weight and of relatively less strength.

The panels are made of any size or shape as controlled by the use towhich they are put. For example, the panels can be large enough to forma whole wall, ceiling or floor, or they can be made in say six footwidths to be more convenient for shipping and handling. These unitpanels are then welded together on location to form complete panelsconstituting whole walls, floors, etc.

It should be appreciated that the panels are formed in other than squareshape if desired. Polygonal, round, oval and other shapes can be madeand the channels bounding the edges of the assembled units can be at anangle to the sides and end of the units which are appropriately cut tobe properly received and secured in the channels. Thus substantially anytype of structure can be made up because of the adaptability of myinvention to the ready and facile fabrication of panels and units ofvarious types, shapes, sizes and strengths.

One feature of my invention which is noteworthy and which is believednovel is that the construction and shape of my units and panels adaptthem to the module system of building and architecture. This popularsystem, briefly, is that the architect and builder bases his design andarrangement on modules or squares of. a certain size, say three feetsquare. A living room, for example, could then be five modules long,four wide and three high.' A hall could be two modules wide, three highand five long, etc. My units readily fit into the module system ofplanning and building in that each unit is made of a standard modulewidth or half width and the squares of connected sheet metal of eachunit likewise form modules of length. Accordingly the fabrication ofbuildings is simplified and expedited and a new and novel relation isestablished between architectural and building design and materials forconstructing the designed structures.

It should be understood that the frameless building structure hereindisclosed is not ordinarily adapted for use as a skyscraper or othertall building but that it can beneficially be employed to constructsmall buildings of several stories, and it is particularly adapted forthe construction of homes, stores, and the like.

where it is found necessary in a frameless structure to provide meansfor carrying additional or greater weight, columns or beams can beproduced by fabricating the individual units of my invention in aplurality of different ways. For example, as seen in Figs. 6 and 7, aplurality of the units has been made into a circular column, indicatedgenerally by the numeral 43, having their contacting edges weldedtogether with the column further strengthened with welded-on circularmetal sections 44. Thus a column of any desired strength can be provideddepending upon the size and strength of the individual units.

Fig. 7 shows a column or beam 45 formed of four of the units weldedtogether at their edges. can be used as a beam. In this particular, theThis structure can be employed as a column or invention contemplates aframeless structure adapted to house relatively heavy machinery or to beadapted to carry extra heavy loads under certain circumstances in whichload-carrying means are provided in the form of additional columns inthe structure with load-carrying beams extending across the columns orspanning the foundation. Lighter beams or columns can be made fromeithertwo or three of the units fabricated as just described, as will beevident.

tabs or portions l1 at periodic, longitudinallyspaced distances -on eachstrip. The strip is pressor roll-bent along its central longitudinalplane so that the triangular tabs extend at opposite but similarlyinclined angles to the flat base portion l4. Each of the bent strips isfabricated into a unit by securing the longitudinally-extendingload-carrying members II), II and I 2 to the central portion and to theextreme edge portions of the strip.

All of the strips formed, as above described, are whole strips of thedesired shape except those at the sides of the sheet which, as seen atthe top of Fig. 8 of the drawings, are half widths. These half-widthstrips are fabricated similarly to the whole strips but with only thetabs bent from the continuous edge portion and with only twoload-carrying members being used. The half-width units are employed atthe sides of the panels orwherever else they can advantageously beutilized to provide a panel or unit of the requisite dimensions.

Securing the load-carrying elements to the strip is rapidly andefficiently done, in commercial manufacture under my process, byspotwelding. The individual units are then fabricated into the panels ofdesired size and strength as has been explained above, with the panelsbeing built into a frameless building structure on location. If desiredthe panels also can be made up on location from the individual unitswhich will facilitate shipment of material to the job as the triangularshape of the units permits them to be nested in each other for handlingand shipment.

While the invention has been particularly described as employingspot-welding or broadly welding for securing the parts of the unitstogether, and the units intopanels, and the panels into a building, itshould be recognized that while this is the preferred practice and isbelieved novel as described, the invention contemplates employing othersecuring means,- such as rive s, bolts, clips or other accessories.

From the foregoing description of one embodiment of my invention, itwill be evident that a building unit, adapted for use with the modulesystem of architectural planning, has been provided which is relativelyinexpensive to manufacture by commercial methods and apparatus and whichis strong and light and adapted to be fabricated into any desiredbuilding structure on location with most of the part assembling beingdone in the manufacturing plant before shipment to location. Arelatively smaller amount of metal is used in the unit than hasheretofore been the practice. further r s the manu- 1 and painted orotherwise decorated toprovide a pleasing wall or ceiling. This isparticularly true in garages, stores, or other buildings, in which theopen appearance of -the structure is'not undesirable. Ordinarily thepanels arecovered in any known or suitable manner as, for example, in-fioors by the provision of metal screening with a covering of cementthereon or with a wooden floor being laid directly over the panel. Forwalls,

metal lath can be wired to the panels and covered in the usual manner bypatter, cement, stucco,

brick or wood. Again. the panels forming walls can be provided with aglass or a silk covering with lights being employed in the panels andshining through the glass or silk to provide an indirect lightingsystem. In a similar manner the panels adapt themselves to the panelsystem of' heating. The open character of the construction permits theready laying of, and access to wiring, plumbing, etc., and likewise thestructure is particularly. adapted for air-conditioning means,insulation, heating ducts and the like.

I have found that when employing -.my building units and. panels tlieycan be assembled to providecantile'ver extensions over window and dooropenings and canopies, balconies-floors and. roofs can likewise be madewith cantilever extensions. These extensions die of such strength inproportion to their weight that a very' strong .rigid building structureis provided by their. fabrication in the manner herein disclosed.

While in accordance with the Patent Statutes I have illustrated 'anddescribed one embodiment of my invention it should be understood thatthe invention is not limited thereto or thereby but is defined in theappended claims.

I claim:

v 1. A fabricated frameless metal structure adapted for use as a fioor,side-wall or the like in a building, said structure including aplurality of units placed in 'side-by side' relation, each unitcomprising three angle-irons extending lengthwise of the unit andpositioned to definea triangle,

' a sheet metal strip likewise extending lengthwise of the unitv andspat -weldedalonga longitudinal line to oneof the angle-irons,triangular laterally-extending portions formed integrally with thelateral edges of the sheet metal strip-and bent at an angle thereto intocontact with the remaining angle-irons where the portions-are spot-welded, sheet metal channels receiving the ends of the units whicharelwelded thereto, and tensionresisting metal sections" extendinglaterally of the units and welded thereto; said sections beingpositioned 'onthe bottom surface of the structure adjacent the ends ofthe tabs and compressionresisting metal sections welded on the top ofthe structure midway between the bottom sections.

2. A fabricated frameless metal structure adapted for use as a door,side wall or the like in a building, said structure'including aplurality of units placed in side-by-side relation, eachunit comprisingthree metal sections extendingl'engthwise of the unit andpositioned todefines. triangle, a sheet metal strip likewise extending lengthwise ofthe unit and spot-welded along a auras-.74

longitudinal line to one of the metal sections, triangularlaterally-extending portions formed integrally with the sheet metalstrip and bent at an angle thereto into contact with the remaining metalsections where the portions are spot-welded, and sheet metal channelsreceiving the ends of the units which are welded to the channels.

3. A fabricated frameless metal structure adapted for use as a floor,side wall or the like in a building, said structure including aplurality of units placed in side-by-side relation, each unit comprisingthree angle-irons extending lengthwise of the unit and positioned todefine a triangle, a sheet metal strip likewise extending lengthwise ofthe unit and spot-welded along a longitudinal line to one of theangle-irons, and laterally-extending areas formed integrally with thelateral edges of the sheet metal strip and bent at an angle thereto intocontact with the remaining angle-irons where the areas are spot-welded.,4. A fabricated frameless metal structure including a plurality ofunits placed in side-by-side relation, each-unit comprising threeangle-irons extending lengthwise of the unit and positioned 5. Afmetalbuilding unit capable of being fabricated into walls, floors, columnsand similar building structures, said unit including a strip of sheetmetal having a flat central portion with similarly butoppositely-inclined edge portions, said edge portions being in the formof triangular portionswith the extreme lateral edges thereof beingparallel to thecentral portion of the sheet, and rolled metal sectionsspot-welded to the fiat central portion and to the extreme lateral edgesof the strip.

6. A metal building unit capable of being fabricated into walls, floors,columns and similar building structures, said unit including a strip of.sheet metal having a flat central portion with similarly btoppositely-inclined edge portion extending s f longitudinally-spacedintervals from the flat central portion, and angle-irons welded to thefiat portion and to the extreme lateral edges of the strip.

7. A metal. building unit capable of being fabricated into walls,floors, columns, and similar building structures, said unit including astrip of metal, having a fiat base portion with similarly butopposite-inclined edge portions, and longitudinally-extendingstrengthening means secured to the flat base and to the extreme lat.-eral edges of the strip.

a. A metal building unit capable of being nib,-

ricated into walls, floors, columns and similar building structures,said unit including a strip of" sheet metal having a fiat base withsimilarly but oppositely-inclined edge portions, said edge portionsbeing in the form of triangular tabs with the extreme lateral edgesthereof being parallel to the base of the sheet, andlongitudinally-extending strengthening means secured to the flat baseand-to the extreme lateral edges of the strip.

acme?! l 5.

- and secured in the region of the bend to oneoi. the elements andsecured to the other elements by the corners of the squares opposite thebend.

10. A building unit comprising three triangu- 5 larly-positioned,longitudinally-extending rolled metal sections and sheet metalsubstantially in the form of connected square plates bent on a diagonalline connecting the corners of the squares and spot-welded in the regionof the 10 bend to one of the metal sections and spot-welded to the othermetal sections by the corners oi. the

squares opposite the bend.

11. In combination, a plurality of building units placed side by sideand received at their 15 ends in sheet metal channels to which the unitsare welded'and laterally-extending-metal sections welded on both sidesof the units and securing the units together, each of said unitsineluding three triangularly-positioned 101181171161. 20 nally-extendingangle-irons and a single piece of sheet metal welded to and connectingthe angle-irons, said sheet metal being in the form ofdiagonally-connected polygons.

12. In combination, a plurality of buildin 5 units placed side by sideand received at their 7 ends in sheet metal channels to which the unitsare welded and laterally-extending rolled metal sections welded on bothsides 01 the units and securing the units together. said metal sectionsbeing spaced alternately on the opposite sides of 5 the units.

13. A i'rameless building comprising walls and floors constructed ofunits formed of angle-irons connected by sheet metal spot-welded to'theangles, the units being received at their ends in 10 sheet metalchannels to which the units are welded, lateral tie rods connecting theunits and together with the channels forming the units into panels, thepanels being welded together to form the frameless building. 15 14. Arrameless building comprising a plurality of panels welded together toform the floors, walls and the entire structure of the building, said'panels being made up of individual units placed in side-by-side relationand connected by welded- 2 on lateral ties. and sheet metal channelssurrounding the sides ot the connected units and welded thereto andforming the panels of the proper size.

WALTER n. STULEN. as

